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Recent Examples of headsman
Two other men, subjects of excellent Holbein drawings in the show, would keep appointments with the headsman.
—
Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Even if your reality is the headsman’s block!
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021
Once upon a time, the queen could have sent rebels to the Tower and the headsman’s block, even relatives—especially relatives.
—Matt Seaton, The New York Review of Books, 9 Mar. 2021
The British prime minister has assembled a trio of headsmen to sever Britain from the mainland.
—Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 22 Mar. 2017
Several other leading figures of the period ended their days on the executioner’s block, including the unhappy Comte de Chalais, whose headsman bungled the job and ended up frantically chopping away at his screaming victim with a small hatchet.
—David A. Bell, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2012
Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022
Even if your reality is the headsman’s block!
—Helen Shaw, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2021
Once upon a time, the queen could have sent rebels to the Tower and the headsman’s block, even relatives—especially relatives.
—Matt Seaton, The New York Review of Books, 9 Mar. 2021
The British prime minister has assembled a trio of headsmen to sever Britain from the mainland.
—Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 22 Mar. 2017
Several other leading figures of the period ended their days on the executioner’s block, including the unhappy Comte de Chalais, whose headsman bungled the job and ended up frantically chopping away at his screaming victim with a small hatchet.
—David A. Bell, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headsman
Noun
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Iran is the world's most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Since when does the mayor become the judge, jury and executioner for law enforcement?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Just after the American Civil War, people in Pennsylvania were still following the ancient Roman polymath Pliny’s advice to wrap their aching heads with a piece of a hangman’s noose.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
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The classic effigy comes with a free hangman’s noose or lasso.—
Jack Handey,
New Yorker,
17 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Jose Luis Magana / AP Indyke is the second of two executors of Epstein's estate to testify before the committee.—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Harwell, a Mooresville and Myrtle Beach resident, took ownership of the boats as the executor of Williams’ estate, public records show.—
Joe Marusak
March 13,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes strangely heartbreaking, this immersive storytelling experience is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age; a heart-to-bleeding-heart with madmen, murderers and monsters all dying to tell their story.—
William Earl,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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The parolee list features a man who killed his girlfriend’s 22-month-old daughter, and a first-degree murderer who fatally shot a restaurant owner during a robbery.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headsman. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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